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Transit police (also known astransport police,railway police,railroad police and several other terms) are specializedpolice agencies employed either by acommon carrier, such as atransit district,railway,railroad,bus line, or anothermass transit provider ormunicipality,county, district, orstate.
Transit law enforcement services may also be provided by a specialized unit within a larger local law enforcement agency. Their mandate is generally toprevent andinvestigate allcrime committed against the carrier or its passengers and crime incidentally committed on or around the carrier's property.
A transit police force may consist of officers employed directly by a transit system or by a government agency dedicated to providing specialized law enforcement services. There are numerous instances of both withinUnited States, given the decentralized nature of US law enforcement; examples of larger, stand-alone agencies within the US include theMBTA Police,BART Police, and theNew Jersey Transit Police Department. In theUnited Kingdom, transit law enforcement is provided by a single, nation-wide agency, theBritish Transport Police, although other law enforcement agencies may assist with this task. WithinIndia, many transit policing services are conducted by theGovernment Railway Police.
Other forces may exist as a specialized unit of a local law enforcement agency, such as the United States' Transit Police Services Bureau of theOrange County, California Sheriff's Department (which serves theOrange County Transportation Authority) or the Transit Enforcement Unit of thePhoenix Police Department (assigned to thePhoenix Public Transit Department).[2] Some formerly independent transit police agencies have also been absorbed into (or had their duties assumed by) a larger, local law enforcement agency; For example, theNew York City Transit Police being amalgamated into theNYPD Transit Bureau.
Where the term "transit police" is used for a law enforcement agency or unit working for a railroad/railway, it usually refers to a railroad providing urbanmass transit (such as a city-elevated system orsubway) as opposed to long-distance rail carriage.
Law enforcement agencies of both cargo railroads and long-haul rail carriers are usually referred to as "railroad police" or "railway police". There is often considerable overlap in transit police and railroad police agencies’ duties. Railroad police agencies, however, have a long history, and were established separate from and prior to most modern transit police agencies. Transit police and railroad police powers may also be legally defined separately; For example, in the United States, many states have separate laws concerning both types of agencies.
However, in modern times, with increasing overlap in duties and the proliferation of extensive mass transit systems, some jurisdictions have opted for a hybrid model of railroad and transit policing. For instance, in theUnited Kingdom, most of the rail systems, including theLondon Underground, are policed by theBritish Transport Police (BTP). The BTP is a full-service, national law enforcement agency, which essentially combined the duties of dozens of now-defunct transit and railway police agencies into a single entity (the BTP has no authority inNorthern Ireland, except in emergencies).
Some transit police forces have full policing powers, such as the US'BART Police,SEPTA's Transit Police,Metro Transit Police Department,Utah Transit Authority Police Department or theMBTA Police. The UK'sBritish Transport Police, also has full police powers withinGreat Britain. In some areas, transit police agencies have limited or specific powers, and may be classed asspecial police orspecial constables, or peace officers with limited powers, such asCanada'sEdmonton Transit Peace Officers.[3] Regardless, transit police services nearly always hold more authority than un-sworn, security guard-only services.
Some of the crimes transit police and railroad police investigate includetrespassing on theright-of-way of a railroad,assaults against passengers, tagging ofgraffiti on railroadrolling stock andbuses orbus stops,pickpocketing, ticketfraud,robbery and theft of personal belongings,baggage orfreight, anddrug dealing at transit stations. They may also engage in random ticket checking hoping to catch and fine ticketless travelers. These controls are usually more frequent in transit systems using anhonor-based fare collecting approach.
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Infederal states like theUnited States,Canada, orAustralia, federal and state statutes determine the jurisdiction and authority of all police departments, including transit police.
Most transit police services have the same police authority as any other national, state and local police agencies, such as theMBTA Transit Police Department,MARTA (Atlanta) Transit Police,British Transport Police,New Jersey Transit Police Department,BART Police,Maryland Transit Administration Police,DART Police,SEPTA Transit Police,Utah Transit Authority Police Department, and theMetro Vancouver Transit Police (South Coast British Columbia Transportation Authority Police Service). Some agencies have rather extensive jurisdictions, including traffic enforcement and arrest powers on and off property.
New South Wales
Queensland
South Australia
Victoria
Western Australia
There are two transit police agencies in Canada: theMetro Vancouver Transit Police, a provincially-regulated "designated policing unit" withinTransLink, the transit authority for theMetro Vancouver Regional District inBritish Columbia; and theVia Rail Police Service, a federally-regulated railway police force operated byVia Rail, the provider of intercity rail service for all of Canada.[14][15][16] There are also two other federally-regulatedrailway police services serving the country's two largest freight railways, theCanadian National Railway andCanadian Pacific Kansas City.[17][18]
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InAlberta,Manitoba,[19]Ontario, andQuebec, large transit systems maintainspecial constabularies, a type of unarmed police force, to provide safety and law enforcement services on transit property. These agencies have authority over transit by-laws and provincial legislation; theCriminal Code of Canada in Ontario and Quebec;[19][20][21] and their officers variously have the ability to use emergency vehicles with sirens (in Alberta, parts of Ontario, and Quebec) and carry a baton, handcuffs, and pepper spray or gel (in all four provinces).[19][20][21]
Cities in China which haverapid transit systems all have their transit police force associated to the localpublic security bureau. There are no non-governmental police forces, or police institutes under transit authority.National Rail used to have a police force under theMinistry of Railways, but such authority has since been transferred to local police agencies.[when?]
However, the structure of institutions can be vary from city to city. For example, cities likeTianjin andChengdu might have a joint public transportation force of division level, operates on all the taxis, bus routes, coaches, rapid transit and ferry lines as well as transportation hubs inside city limit; whileChongqing andXi'an[28] have tighter transit cop brigades focused exclusively on protecting the mass transit lines. Again, all these agencies are supervised by the PSBs of higher level.
TheRailway Protection Force is a security force, established by the Railway Protection Force Act, 1957 ; enacted by theParliament of India for "the better protection and security ofrailway property". The force is under the authority of theMinistry of Railways.
It has the power to search, arrest, investigate and prosecute, though the ultimate power rests in the hands of theGovernment Railway Police.
TheGovernment Railway Police (IAST:Sarakārī Rēlvē Pulīs), abbreviated asGRP, is the police force of the respective state governments, tasked with policing on railways and their premises. It operates under the respective state police forces. It was established by theRailways Act, 1989, of the Parliament of India. Its duties correspond to those of theDistrict Police in the areas under their jurisdiction, such aspatrolling and prevention and detection of crimes but only on railway property. It is the parent agency of theRailway Protection Force (RPF), and aids and provides assistance to it, whose primary duties are to protect and secure all railway property.
The GRP's responsibility is to observe law and order on all railway property. Officers are recruited from theIndian Police Service (IPS) andState Police Services (SPS). The force is under control of the police departments of the variousState Police Services (SPS) in liaison withMinistry of Railways.
Railway Security Guard : Armed security forces protecting railway system in Poland
Main Directorate of the Transport of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. (Главное Управление на Транспорте Министерства Внутренних Дел.)
Swedish Police Authority – Stockholm Public Transport Police
Public Safety Officers (Swedish:Ordningsvakt) currently serve as the public transport police force in Sweden. An ordningsvakt is a law enforcement officer appointed and authorized by the Swedish Police Authority to assist in maintaining public order. Their primary role is to support police efforts in ensuring safety and order in public spaces such as transport hubs, trains, buses, boats, and stations.
Uniform
These officers wear a uniform that is distinct but similar in appearance to that of the Swedish Police, including blue-grey clothing and visible patches marked “ORDNINGSVAKT.” This design helps them to be easily recognised by the public while still maintaining a distinction from full police officers. The overall design is intentional: it closely resembles the Swedish Police uniform in both style and colour, which helps reinforce their law enforcement role in the eyes of the public. However, the distinct “ORDNINGSVAKT” labels make it clear that they are not full police officers, but are operating under delegated authority.
Authority and Powers of an Ordningsvakt
Ordningsvakter have limited police powers and are authorized to:
In certain cases, and with specific approval, they may also be permitted to carry firearms or work with police dogs.
Ordningsvakter work in close collaboration with the Swedish Police, particularly in environments where maintaining public safety and preventing disorder is a priority—such as the public transport network in Stockholm.
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